Democrats Erik Bottcher (l.) and Keith Powers have been victorious in particular elections for 2 vacant state legislative seats on Tuesday.
Photographs by way of NYC Council Media Unit and Lloyd Mitchell
Democrats simply swept two particular elections on Tuesday for a pair of state legislative seats protecting elements of Manhattan.
Metropolis Council Member Erik Bottcher, the co-chair of the Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus, simply gained the Feb. 3 particular election to interchange Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal within the state Senate, defeating Republican Charlotte Friedman by a large margin, based on unofficial outcomes.
In the meantime, Bottcher’s former Metropolis Council colleague, Keith Powers, cruised to victory in a contest to succeed Harvey Epstein within the state Meeting, handily beating Republican/Conservative candidate Joseph Foley. Epstein now serves within the Metropolis Council himself.
With greater than 86% of the vote in on election night time, Bottcher had 91.8% — or simply over 11,200 votes — whereas Friedman had 7.5%, or 920 votes. Bottcher will now signify the forty seventh Senate District, which runs alongside the west aspect of Manhattan from Manhattan Valley right down to Greenwich Village.
“Tonight, the people of the 47th District made a clear choice for progress, integrity, and leadership that shows up,” Bottcher stated in a written assertion on election night time. “I’m deeply grateful to every voter, volunteer, and neighbor who believed that government should work harder for working families — and I’m excited to get to work.”
Bottcher vowed to be a “relentless advocate for safer streets, more affordable housing, reliable transit, and an economy that rewards work and treats people with dignity.”
“I want to thank everyone who believed in my ability to be an effective state senator,” Bottcher stated. “Your trust means everything to me, and I’m ready to honor that trust with action.”
Final October, Bottcher, 46, introduced he was exploring a marketing campaign to interchange outgoing Congressmember Jerrold Nadler, however as competitors grew, Bottcher in the end determined to run for Hoylman-Sigal’s outdated seat. When he pivoted to run for State Senate, Bottcher stated in a written assertion that his choice was “rooted in where I believe I can do the most good immediately,” including that the “State Senate is where critical decisions are being made on housing affordability, addressing the mental health crisis, safeguarding our environment, and defending New York from the Trump agenda.”
“I’m so proud that Erik is assuming the 47th Senate District that I had the privilege of representing on the West Side from ‘the gay bars to Zabar’s,’” Hoylman-Sigal wrote on X, referring to a phrase he generally repeated lately when describing his State Senate district.
Bottcher has served within the Metropolis Council since January 2022 in a district that features Hudson Sq., West Village, Chelsea, Hudson Yards, Meatpacking District, Garment District, Instances Sq., and Hell’s Kitchen. Mayor Zohran Mamdani is anticipated to quickly name a particular election to fill that seat; Carl Wilson, Bottcher’s present chief of workers, and Lindsey Boylan, an city planner and former state aide who helped expose the sexual harassment scandal that pressured former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation in 2021, have already declared their candidacies.
In the meantime, Powers took residence 82.25% of the vote (3,953), whereas Foley had 16.73% (804), within the race to succeed Epstein within the 74th Meeting District, which covers elements of the East Village, the Decrease East Aspect, Gramercy, Kips Bay, Murray Hill, Midtown and Midtown East.
Powers had served within the Metropolis Council for eight years earlier than being term-limited out of workplace in 2025. He had represented the 4th Metropolis Council District; that seat is now held by Virginia Maloney.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone in the 74th AD,” Powers stated in a victory message on X/Twitter Tuesday night time. “I look forward to being your next Assembly Member and continuing to represent the community that I have always called home.”
Through the marketing campaign, Powers vowed to work in Albany to carry extra reasonably priced housing to New York Metropolis whereas additionally pushing for safer streets and bettering public transit.
